


Lost at Sea (Adventures with Duct Tape)

by chibi_nightowl



Series: Myth-Bats [4]
Category: Batman (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:09:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8121232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_nightowl/pseuds/chibi_nightowl
Summary: “Where are we?”“Somewhere in the South Pacific.”“That’s a large area, Replacement. Want to be a bit more specific?”





	1. Day One

Day 1 

Tim groans as he slowly sits up. He’s laying on sand and it never ceases to amaze him how even though he’s covered from head to toe in his Red Robin uniform, he’s still feeling the grit from the fine sand in the most uncomfortable of places. 

He looks around. Sand. Ocean. Palm trees. Red Hood. Ruins of the Batwing on the reef in front of him. 

Memories come flooding back of the abortive landing he and Jason tried to make after the plane got struck by lightning and fried all the electronics. 

_I know I need a vacation, but I’m not sure if this is the best way to go about it._ Tim looks around some more, spying coconuts up in the palm trees. _Still…this does have potential._

Next to him, Jason groans as he too starts waking up, spitting sand from his mouth. “Where are we?” 

“Somewhere in the South Pacific.” 

“That’s a large area, Replacement. Want to be a bit more specific?” 

“Can’t.” Tim points at the plane. “Remember getting fried last night? All my built-in tech, as well as that on the plane, got shot.” 

“Oh yeah…” Jason stares at the ruins of the plane. “We should probably do something about that.” He points at the plane. 

“Yeah. There’s emergency supplies in the cargo hold if we can get to it.” 

“Okay, Brain. Let’s get to it then. But first…” Jason trails off as he stands up, stretching and taking off his leather jacket. He’s eyeballing a coconut tree. “How many of those you think I can get down in a single hit?”

*****  

They lay out the emergency supplies on the beach, well above the tideline, plus a few other things they pulled from the downed plane. It was perched more precariously on the reef than Tim originally thought, so best to get everything now in case they woke up in the morning and it was gone. 

“Hey, look! Duct tape!” Jason cries out, holding out a package that contained six rolls of the stuff. “Different colors too.” 

Tim smirks. “Yeah, that was me. I went a little overboard with the duct tape after seeing that island survival episode. Bruce didn’t question it, just told me to make sure everything else he had in the kit fit too.” 

“Okay, seriously, you’re a nerd and right now I think I love you for it. You know what this means?” Jason wore a very excited look on his face.

“We get to act out our own deserted island adventure using nothing but duct tape?” 

“Yes!” 

Tim smiles and shakes his head in amusement at Jason’s antics. _Like a kid in a candy store._ “We’ve got a lot more than just duct tape you know. And there’s only those six rolls.”

“Whatever, we still don’t have a single working piece of electronics, so we’re stuck here for however long it takes B to get his act together and find us. I give him a week. I think I can tolerate you for a week.” Jason nods thoughtfully. 

“Or I can just give a shout and have Kon air lift us out,” Tim replies in an even tone. 

“Don’t you even fucking think about it. When else are we going to have a chance like this?” Jason shouts, pointing at Tim. 

Tim shrugs. “Next to never, I agree. But answer me this…what is with you and wanting to do all of these _myths_ on our own? I know you went back to the quarry with Roy and set off the water heater, which I still haven’t forgiven you for not telling me about by the way. And then there was the dishwasher lasagna last month. So what gives?” 

“You’re not having fun?” Jason asks defensively, crossing his arms across his broad chest. 

“No, that’s not it at all! I think it’s awesome!” Tim backtracks. “I’m just curious since you never want to spend time with any of us. Since I showed you guys the fruit ninja clip, I’ve seen more of you in the last three months than I did all last year.” 

Jason shrugs this time. “I like this kind of shit. There’s skill to it, but there’s also a level of _what the fuck are they doing_ and _shit, is that even going to work_ that I find entertaining. I really shouldn’t have been surprised you like it too.” 

Tim starts to read between the lines. _And I like doing this with you because it’s something we have in common._

“Fine. We’ll give it a run. But the first time you threaten to kill me because something doesn’t work, I’m calling Kon.” 

“Fair enough. So what have we got?”

*****  

“I feel kind of ridiculous,” Tim says, looking down at his pale legs disappearing into his boots. He’d stripped down to his undershirt and boxers. Without the electronics built into his suit, the temperature regulator was shot, so he quickly started to overheat even in the shade. 

“Your face is ridiculous,” replies Jason, lounging around in his boxer briefs and combat boots. 

“At least you have a tan already. I feel like I’m burning just looking at the sand.” 

“Then that means you’re on water duty and I’ll see what I can find us to eat in the reef.” Jason points to the duct tape. “There a water pouch in the kit or do you need to make one?” 

“There’s one in the kit.” Tim feels a bit sullen as he hands Jason the batarang he’d been modifying. “Here, that should fit on the spear you’re making.” 

“What’s with the pout, Timmers?” Jason takes the batarang and starts wedging it into the haft of spear he’s been making from a piece of wood he found in the jungle-like forest behind them. 

“Nothing.” The look on Jason’s face clearly shows his disbelief at the statement, but the older man keeps his mouth shut. 

Tim pulls the water pouches from the emergency kit, along with the purification kit. “You going to have a fire started by the time I’m back?” 

“Easy peasy,” Jason says confidently. “I’ll even have food cooking, so don’t take too long.” 

Of all the things to be missing in the emergency kit, it would have to be sunblock. _I’m going to be a lobster by the time we get out of here_. Tim makes a mental note to add it for the future. 

_But at least I get to make a hat!_ Tim grins a little as he walks off into the jungle, missing Jason’s concerned look.

*****  

The sun is low in the sky by the time Tim returns to their makeshift camp, water bags full. He’s also carrying a bundle of long grass. 

Jason has two sea bass gutted and roasting on sticks in front of the fire. He’s also cracked open the coconuts from earlier and is doing something with the white flesh that Tim can’t quite make out. “’Bout time you got back. Thought I’d have to go looking.” 

Tim shrugs. “The island is bigger than I thought, but not by much. I found a spring not too far from here, then explored a bit. It’s about a mile across.” He sets down the water bottles and carefully does the same with the grass, making sure there’s no danger of sparks landing on it. 

“What’s with the grass?” Jason asks. His skin is a lot darker than it was before. 

“Weaving material. I’m going to work on making a hat tonight.” Tim grabs a roll of duct tape from their stash. “You at least have a base tan to work with, but the sun and I are archenemies. And there’s no sunblock.” 

Jason chuckles. “So that’s why you were acting pissy earlier.” 

“I was not _pissy_ ,” Tim replies with a huff. “Just…a bit jealous.” 

“You wanted to go swimming with sharks?” 

“Ye…what?” Tim eyes the shallow lagoon and the reef where the remains of the Batplane look even more precarious as the tide goes out. “You were on the other side of the reef, weren’t you?” 

“Yep. Slim pickings here when the tide’s on the way out. I don’t know shit about what edible crustaceans look like in this part of the world, so I thought I’d check out the other side.” Jason’s working on some kind of mash with the coconut in one of the collapsible bowls from the kit. 

Tim settles down near the fire and starts working on plaiting the grass. “Dare I ask what’s on the other side?” 

“Coral. Colorful fish. It’s like a fucking aquarium out there.” 

“So where do the sharks come in?” 

Jason laughs, looking over at what Tim knows is crap work with his grass. _That’s what the duct tape is for_. “I’d already caught fishies one and two here.” He gestures to the fire. “And I’m about four meters underwater aiming for number three when it just goes _dark_ above me. I look up and there’s a _massive_ shark swimming over me.” 

Tim looks at Jason incredulously. “Bullshit.” 

Jason shakes his head. “I wish. I watch _Shark Week_ , I know what I saw. And that was a fucking huge great white.” 

Tim stares flatly at Jason, still not quite believing him. “Uh-huh. And I guess you just hit it on the nose and it swam away.” 

“C’mon, Replacement, we both know that’s shit. Eyes or the gills. But I did the only thing I could do in a situation like that.” 

“And what’s that?” 

“Stayed as still as I could and prayed to God I didn’t run out of air. As soon as he was out of sight, I swam straight up and almost sliced my knees to shreds scrambling over the top of the reef into the lagoon.” Jason looks out over the lagoon. The tide was almost fully out, so the volcanic rock that formed the outer edge of the barrier stood in sharp contrast to the still bright blue water. 

Shifting slightly, Tim takes a look at Jason’s legs, taking note of the numerous scratches that hadn’t been there earlier. His knees though are taped up with some gauze pads from the first aid kit. _He wouldn’t use our supplies unless he needed them._ “So it was a male?” 

“Yup.” Jason’s really working on the mash now. It’s starting to remind Tim of poi. 

Grinning, Tim sets down the plait of grass he’s been working on. “You know you want to say it.” 

Jason looks up from his coconut concoction to Tim. “I’m calling him Bruce,” he replies, a shark like grin of his own appearing on his wind-burned face.

*****  

As the sun sets, Tim looks out over the ocean from his seat on the beach. He’s not so concerned about sunburn with the sun barely skimming the horizon. The sound of the waves breaking on the reef is hypnotic, lulling Tim’s normally hyper-alert senses into rest mode. He’s relaxed. 

_It’s beautiful. When do I ever get a chance to just sit and watch a sunset anymore?_

Next to him, Jason sighs contentedly. He’s leaning back on his arms, legs straight out to avoid sand getting into his bandages. “Not a bad day, was it, Replacement?” 

“No, not at all.” Tim focuses on the horizon, watching the sun disappear into the water. The illusion makes him smile. _But it’s so damn beautiful._

They sit in silence, watching the sunset.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hubby INSISTED I do a duct tape addition to this series and since I do have to live with the guy, here we go. :P Not going totally all out since they don't have a pallet full of the stuff like they did on the show, but it's enough to get Jason excited. He's such a closet nerd in this little series, I love it!
> 
> And I just couldn't help myself with Jason naming the shark. He insisted! :P


	2. Day Two

Day 2, Part 1

Tim looks doubtfully at the mash in front of him, then back to Jason. “You know coconut oil has hardly any SPF at all and really isn’t a good form of sunblock, right?”

“Yep,” replies Jason. “But it’s a good moisturizer and both of us have bone dry skin thanks to the wind, the sand, and the sun. If anything, it’ll keep the windburn down. And keep us smelling pretty.” The man grins and starts rubbing the oil that formed overnight from the coconut mash onto his face.

“Whatever,” Tim mumbles as he dips his fingers into his bowl. “It can’t hurt.”

“Better than nothin’.”

“So true. I’m going to make sure there’s sunblock in the next emergency kit. I don’t care what Bruce thinks.” Tim starts smearing the oil onto his face. _Okay, there is no way in hell I’m going to admit to Jay that this actually feels pretty good._

“Okay, so now that you’re all lathered up and have a hat, let’s get your scrawny ass down to the water so you can show me what’s edible and what’s not. I don’t want another run in with Bruce today.” Jason starts off down the beach, skin glistening in the morning sunlight.

Tim decides to leave his shirt off for now and makes sure to rub some of the coconut oil onto his shoulders and neck. Grabbing his hat, he follows, bare feet sinking into the fine white sand. It’s not too hot yet, but if yesterday is anything to go by, it will be soon enough.

He meets Jason at the water’s edge, feet sinking into the wet sand. Tim enjoys the feeling of the water lapping at his toes. Beside him, he hears Jason snickering.

“What?” he asks.

“Just enjoying your fashion choices. Bright blue leopard print come into style when I wasn’t looking?”

Smirking, Tim glances over at his older brother. “They’re all printed. I’m not entirely certain Bruce knows I picked the multi-colored pack of duct tape when I told him I added it to the kit.”

Jason shakes his head in amusement. “Right. Like he didn’t go through the entire kit when you were done to see what you did to it.”

Tim shrugs. “If he did, he did. So, lets get on with the edible seafood lesson so I can get back to the shade.” He wades further into the water as Jason follows.

***** 

“Okay, I will totally admit I thought you were telling me a fish story yesterday, but that is one huge fish.” Tim is standing on the rocky edge of the lagoon, looking out over the reef on the ocean side.

“I know, right? There’s not a lot in this world that actually scares me, but there’s something almost… _primal_ about the fear I felt when I saw that thing swimming between me and the surface.” Jason is crouching next to Tim, staring into the deeper water and watching the large shadow circle back and forth beneath them.

“Evolutionary trait. We’re primed to be scared of creatures bigger than us with big pointy teeth.”

“No shit. If I have to get in that water again, I’m going with all my knives. My guns are useless unless I can get the sand out of ‘em.”

Tim shakes his head, turning a bit to look at the remains of the Batwing. Only a long slender wing is poking out of the water now. The rest of the plane slid down the edge of the reef during the night. “There shouldn’t be a need. We got lucky yesterday morning when we scavenged the ‘Wing.”

“I bet ol’ Brucie is the curious type. He keeps swimming by the plane like there’s something to eat down there.” Jason stands, hoisting the duct tape net over a shoulder. Tim had woven it the night before when he finished his hat. The net is full of shellfish the younger man deemed edible. “Let’s go eat breakfast. I’m hungry.”

He starts walking along the rocky ledge, as deftly as if the uneven ground was a Gotham rooftop. Tim watches the shadow another long moment and follows.

***** 

The black pearl Jason’s holding between his thumb and index fingers is mesmerizing. “This is unexpected.”

“No kidding,” Tim agrees, crouching next to the man to get a better look. “Black pearls are not as common as white, but I guess this is the part of the world for them. Tahiti and all.”

“I’m keeping it.”

“If you didn’t, I’d smack you. You going to set it in something? It’s too big for a ring, but would look cool in a necklace.”

Jason arches an eyebrow at Tim. “Yeah, cuz I can totally see myself wandering around with a pearl ring, let alone a necklace. Fuck, Timmers, I’m a lot of things, but I am not anywhere near as metro as you are.”

Tim snorts as he stands up. “I have a whole PR team dedicated to that look, thank you very much.”

“Fine,” Jason waives a hand in Tim’s direction. “Your PR team would go ape-shit for you in a pearl necklace.”

“Actually, I was thinking of something more like this.” Tim grabs a stick and starts drawing a design in the sand. “I think that would look kinda cool.”

“Huh,” Jason replies, a thoughtful look on his face. “I’d wear that.”

“Thought you might. We can work on the shells tonight, but there is no way I’d try drilling a hole in that pearl until we’re home.”

“Deal.” Jason reaches over and carefully places the pearl in an inner pocket of his leather jacket. “Now let’s see if we can find you one.” He reaches for another clam.

***** 

Jason scowls at the duct tape strips lying out across the sand. “I still don’t see why we need to do this. We could be outta here in a snap if we really wanted to be.”

Tim ignores the older man and continues to work on the somewhat small SOS signal he’s using the bright orange duct tape for. “It’s tradition,” he says. “Besides, what else are we going to use it on? We don’t have enough for most of the things we want to use it for.”

“Making a boat would have been fuckin’ cool.”

Tim glances up to see the scowl on Jason’s face morph into a quick pout. _Don’t call him on it._ “Agreed. We should still do it though. When we get home. I’m really curious to see just how much duct tape is actually needed for something like that.”

Jason’s pout turns into a toothy grin. “Can we do the glider too?”

“Sure. What about the plane or the bridge?” Tim places a rock on the edge of the last S he’s working on. He’d been tempted to make the S-shield or the Bat emblem with the bright colored tape, but there was no telling who’d spot this from the air. During their exploration of the island, he hadn’t spotted any signs of human activity or presence.

_Pure and pristine. I want the coordinates to this island when we leave so I can come back._

“Nah. The bridge is neat, but not really practical when we can run across a high wire bleeding out and our eyes shut. The plane would be cool, but I think I’d be more interested in the making of it than actually flying it.”

“Sounds like a winter project.” Tim nods, satisfied with his work as he walks towards Jason and the shade. The sun is warm on his shoulders. _No burn yet._ _Let’s try to keep it that way._

“How much tape do we have left?” Jason asks, eyeballing the remnants of the roll in Tim’s hands.

Tim looks over to their makeshift camp, narrowing his eyes in thought. “Four full rolls. I used most of this one on the SOS and broke into the blue for my hat and the net.”

Nodding firmly, Jason stalks over to the emergency gear and takes out the blue print Tim had used the night before. “I’m making a pair of shoes.”

 _What?_ “Why? Something wrong with your boots?” Tim glances down at his Red Robin boots, the shaft going most of the way over his calves and stopping just below his knees.

“Sand,” Jason replies. “Not exactly sure how it’s getting into my boots, but I’m sick of it. Barefoot only goes so far as that sand gets fucking hot in the afternoon.” He heads off into the trees.

Tim watches Jason walk away in his laced up combat boot and wisely keeps his mouth shut about how the sand is getting in. He wiggles his toes, feeling the grit in his socks. “Hey, wait up!” he shouts, running after his older brother. “I want a pair too!”

*****

As the two men walk through the woods in their new sandals, Tim looks closely at the undergrowth. While the island has dense vegetation along the edges of the beach, it’s not as thick further in. Jason’s in front of him with the machete, but he hardly has to use it to cut their path to the spring. He’s also wearing a makeshift rucksack, also made with the remaining blue print duct tape.

“The only wildlife I’m seeing any signs of is birds. This normal for this kind of island, Replacement?”

“You’re forgetting the bugs,” Tim replies, swatting at _something_ flying by his head.

“Nah, haven’t forgotten those,” Jason says, waiving a hand to get a moth out of his face. “Just, this is a tropical island, so I guess I’m expecting monkeys or something.”

“I’m not well versed on South Pacific island ecology. I’ll make a note to brush up when we’re home,” Tim says dryly.

Jason snorts. “You do that.”

“Still,” Tim says, looking up into the lush canopy. “I’ve seen a number of birds I recognize from some nature specials on TV. Not all of them are endangered, so if we get tired of seafood, we can roast a bird instead.”

There was no doubt at all in Tim’s mind that he and Jason could take down any bird on this island with a well-aimed batarang or slingshot.

“Sea and air instead of surf and turf, huh? Living like kings, aren’t we?” Jason chuckles wryly.

“I prefer to think of it as survival of the fittest. Aside from our curious shark, we’re at the top of the food chain here.”

“Let’s keep it that way.” Jason stops at a small rock outcropping to take in the sight of the small freshwater spring. “Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said it was small.”

Tim nods, taking a final step to stand beside the man. “I think this is why there’s no other animals on the island besides birds. It took me nearly an hour yesterday to fill both water bottles.”

Jason nods thoughtfully, then looks around some more. The spring was at the base of a small pile of rocks near the center of the island. Tim had climbed it the day before. The highest point was about level with the tallest trees, about 30 feet up. “How closely did you examine the rocks yesterday?” Jason asks.

“I climbed it to see what there was to see, but that was about it.” Tim points over to the left. “I think I saw a larger outcropping over there. If we dig it out a bit, that’ll be a good shelter.”

“What, tired of sleeping under the stars already, Timmers?”

“I was thinking about rain. That was quite the storm we got caught in and I’d rather not be out there,” Tim gestures behind them towards the beach, “when I could be sleeping dry in there.” He points again to the left.

“Water, shelter, fire, food,” Jason recites. “I guess we did that kind of backwards.”

“We got water right,” Tim says defensively.

“So much for that survival training we’ve both been through.”

“Shh,” Tim says in a stage whisper. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

*****

The outcropping Tim saw is larger than either man expects. It’s open on two sides, but the overhang creates a sheltered alcove that is completely covered from above and goes back a several feet into the rock pile.

“This is better than I thought.” Tim looks around. “If we dig it out a bit, we can use the tarp from the kit to block that open side. A fire pit goes there at the front so the smoke doesn’t get blown back at us. We can make some beds there, as well as store our gear.”

A look of satisfaction appears on Jason’s face. He sets down the makeshift duct tape bag he’s been carrying and nods in agreement. “Looks good. There’s only one shovel, so we’ll take turns. I’ll go first if you want to set a water bottle started, then go get some more coconuts.”

Tim nods in agreement. “I’ll grab some of our other supplies too, start bringing everything here.” He grabs a water bottle and empties the sack Jason carried.

The bigger man squares his shoulders and eyeballs the space he’s about to start digging. “I think I’ll build up this open side here.” Jason points to one of the open sides. “That’ll make less open space for the tarp to cover.”

“Okay,” Tim agrees, walking away. “I’ll get the tarp this first trip,” he calls over his shoulder.

A few yards away, he stops at the spring to place the water bottle under the slow moving trickle. _It’s better than nothing. I’m hesitant to try digging around it to increase the flow, but perhaps I can work on a kind of trough to better collect it._

Plans in place, Tim walks back to their first camp to collect start collecting their gear. Digging through the emergency kit, he pulls out the plastic tarp. _Of course it has to be black._ He takes out the four remaining rolls of duct tape and starts going through the rest of the gear, trying to determine what should come with this trip besides the coconuts they’ve been collecting.

Idly, Tim glances up and looks out across the beach and the ocean. He notices the tip of the Batwing is almost completely submerged in the high tide. Looking further, he blanches.

“Shit,” Tim swears, staring at the wall of dark clouds looming ominously on the horizon.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A survivalist I am not. Any errors are completely my own. :)


	3. Day Two Part Two

Day 2, Part 2 

Tim runs as fast as he can, laden with as much gear from their base camp as he can carry. In the time it took him to gather it up, the storm hasn’t moved much, but he could feel the winds changing. 

_I knew the afternoon air was too still. Dammit.  
_

Upon his arrival at the rock formation, he sees Jason has cleared out the back of the alcove and is working on shoring up the one side they were planning to tarp. “Jason!” Tim shouts and starts unloading.

The man startles and turns to face Tim. “What is it, Replacement? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

“We’ve got incoming. Nasty looking storm and it’s coming fast.”

“Shit. I’d hoped we’d have more time before something like that hit.” He looks up at the sky, but it’s still clear from this angle. “What’d you bring?” 

“The tarp, the duct tape, everything sharp, and the cape from my uniform. It’s insulated and waterproof.” He finishes unloading everything.

“Fucking shame you’re short compared to the rest of us, we could use a longer cape. The tarp’ll hold but we should probably line it with tape to give it another layer.” Jason takes the tarp and holds it up, looking at it critically. It’s a good quality one and Tim already knows it’s water resistant. 

“Screw you, asshole,” Tim mutters, holding up his cape as well. “This’ll probably be our groundcover. I’m going back for more stuff. I don’t want it anywhere near the beach in case there’s a massive storm surge.” 

Jason nods, ignoring the comment. “I’ll keep digging this out, see if I can’t shore the side up more so we won’t have to use as much tarp. Perhaps I can double it up. If I’m done before you’re back, I’ll line the tarp and start rigging it for hanging.” 

Tim grabs hold of the duct tape rucksack and heads back to the shore, pausing briefly at the spring to check on the water bottle he’d placed there earlier. It’s barely half full.

_At this rate, it’ll be full by the time I’m back the next trip. Gotta collect as much water as we can before the storm hits. This whole island is not large enough a landmass for any kind of storm to lose strength over._

Running back to the beach camp, Tim takes stock of the gear that’s left. Medical supplies, food rations, flares, flashlights and batteries, water purification kit, the duct tape beds he and Jason started making earlier. All the shells they decided to keep for Jason’s necklace. Empty coconut shells. And their uniforms. 

Tim looks back out across the lagoon and at the sky. The storm isn’t too much closer, but it does look like the clouds are starting to build overhead. 

_I give it a couple hours, max. Plenty of time._

Setting down his sack, Tim starts packing.

*****  

It takes two more trips back to the beach to collect all the gear. He even moves the shells, using the hollowed out coconuts to carry them. _When did we have time to accumulate so much stuff?_

In that time, Jason manages to level the ground in the alcove, shore up the side with a combination of rock and other debris packed tight with grass, and start the framework for hanging the tarp. The gap is still large enough the tarp will barely cover it all. 

“What do you want me to do?” Tim asks, taking a moment to catch his breath. He’s been running for the better part of an hour now. Storm clouds are finally starting to be visible overhead. 

“How are we on water?” Jason responds, tucking a piece of duct tape securely around a pole. The frame is complete. 

“Not as much as I’d like, especially with all the running I’ve been doing.” 

“Go monkey up a tree then and stock pile some more coconuts. The water tastes like shit, but even I know it’s good for replenishing what you’re losing.” He lays out the tarp and starts layering strips of duct tape on one side. “If that storms turns out to be something bigger, then we’ll be glad of it.” 

Tim nods in agreement. With strong winds a very real possibility, it’ll be hard to catch rainwater for drinking. He reaches for one of Jason’s sheathes. It’s designed for a much larger thigh than his, but with a little modification of the straps, he’s got it on and tucks one of Jason’s serrated knives in it. “I’m borrowing this,” he says. 

“So I noticed. Try not to lose it, that’s one of my favorites.” Jason spares a glance at Tim and starts chuckling. 

“Something funny?” Tim asks crossly. He’s hot and tired and now has to go climb a tree. He grabs his gauntlets and pulls them on. 

“Yeah, you. Have you taken a look at yourself recently?” 

Looking down, Tim shakes his head and starts laughing a bit too. He does look rather ridiculous. 

_Dirty boxers, duct tape sandals, Jason’s knife strapped to my thigh, a duct tape rucksack in a purple cheetah print, and my gauntlets. Yeah, I do look ridiculous._

“I look like a Tarzan reject.” 

“If we’re storm bound long enough, perhaps I’ll make us duct tape loin clothes. We both have the abs and the asses for them.” Jason smirks, hair falling into his eyes as he bends over the canvas. Tim notices he’s still in just his boxer briefs and sandals. He’s even more tan than he was when they crashed. 

“Somehow I think you’re the only one of us who’d be able to pull that look off,” he says dryly. 

“Probably. I do have a tan rather than a sunburn. Get going, Drake.” 

Tim runs off again, sprinting through the trees as fast as he dares. 

***** 

When the storm finally hits an hour later, they’re as ready as they can be considering the circumstances. A wall of wind strikes the island first, followed quickly by a heavy rain, though not as heavy as Tim initially feared it would be. The alcove tucked into the rock formation is naturally closed in from the south and east sides, and shored up with the rocks and duct tape covered canvas on the north side. 

On the west side, Tim’s cape is roughly rigged up like a curtain, creating at least some protection. But over all, they’re snug and dry. The inside of the modified cave smells like grass and coconuts. 

The space is a bit small considering Jason’s size; he’s unable to stand up fully and has to crouch or stretch out along the ground. Tim manages to finish both of the duct tape sleeping mats they’d been working on and those prove a better ground covering than his cape would have. 

Tim’s not sure how Jason did it, but he got everything packed away in the little cave and somehow found time to go gather some wood for a fire. Their emergency rations were the military grade meals, with the built in heat source, but with the wind and rain pouring down, it is entirely possible the coming night would be _cold_ , at least in comparison to the warms days and night they’d already spent on the island. 

_At least we have our uniforms if it does. They’re somewhat insulated, though it sucks sleeping in body armor._

He’s at the back of the alcove, resting and watching Jason, who’s up at the front peeking through Tim’s cape to watch the storm. 

“That wind out there is _wicked_. Ain’t seen anything like that back home for awhile.” He sounds impressed. 

“Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me,” Tim replies. “How’re the trees out there holding up?” 

“Fine. We really lucked out with the positioning of this little hideout.” Jason pulls the cape closed and secures it with a rock and a piece of duct tape. He stays where he is though. There’s still some light coming in, but without a fire, it’ll be completely dark soon. 

_This little cave will be like a tomb…Oh shit.  
_

Tim sits up abruptly, almost cracking his head on the low rock where the alcove tapers down at the back. “Jay? You okay?” he asks, trying to keep the sudden concern out of his voice.

“I’m fine, Replacement.” 

“Do you need a light? We’ve got four good flashlights and batteries…” Tim trails off. 

Jason’s shoulders ripple as he shudders. “Fuck. I…I’ll let you know when to turn one on. There’s still light to see by.” 

“Leave my cape open a bit and watch the storm. Unless the winds completely shift, the rain won’t blow in your face.” 

“Whatever.” The biting tone belies the stiffness Jason moves with as he opens the cape again to watch the storm. He’s purposefully not looking back into the darkened alcove. 

Tim scoots over to one of the supply boxes and pulls out a flashlight. _I want this ready for when he says go. God, I am such an idiot. I can’t believe I totally forgot about his claustrophobia. Why didn’t he say anything?_ He knew better than to ask.

Looking over at his older brother, Tim can’t help but notice an interesting juxtaposition of light and shadow playing over the man’s body. His face is in the light, head almost level with the cape as he tries to keep his eyes focused on the outdoors. The light grays out over his shoulders and torso, leaving his lower body almost completely swathed in shadow. 

Tim’s fingers itch for a camera. 

“You know,” he starts, a bit of uncertainty in his voice, “I can still call Kon if you want. You don’t have to do this to yourself. It’ll be a bit bumpy flying out in a storm, but he’d have you home in no time.” 

A thoughtful expression appears on Jason’s face, but then a look of determination replaces it. “No,” he says resolutely. “I appreciate the offer, but no. As stupid as it sounds, I _want_ to do this. Even with this shit,” he gestures, encompassing what Tim interprets as the cave and the storm blowing outside, “I still want to do this. I don’t know about you, but I’m having fun.” 

Tim smiles warmly, even though the man won’t see it. “I’m having fun too. Sunburn and all.” 

“You’re not that burned yet, white boy.” 

“No, I suppose not. Perhaps there is something to coconut oil after all.” 

“And we stink pretty, which is better than I could say we would without it.” 

Tim laughs. “I’m sure if we’re in here for too long, we’ll be singing a different tune.” He lays back down again. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ve got a flashlight and deck of cards.” 

It’s silent for a moment, then Tim hears a quiet reply. “Thanks, Tim.” 

_It’s a start._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed a break from the much more serious tone of the next Casebook story and I think some of it ended up carrying over to this little fic, which is SUPPOSED to be light and fluffy. Go figure. At least Tim is there to help Jason through the night.


	4. Day Three

Day 3 (Storm Aftermath) 

Tim wakes up to something poking him in his ribs. He hadn’t slept well the night before because of the storm and keeping Jason distracted from the enclosed space around them both. They’d played cards for hours by the light of the flashlight after it got too dark to see outside. 

The shells Tim brought with from the beach became makeshift poker chips. Despite both men cheating outrageously, the game ended in a draw. 

_So how does playing poker explain why I’m being poked now?_ Tim swats at whatever is poking him and grumbles sleepily. 

“Wakey, wakey, Replacement. The sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day, and it is more humid than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life. And that’s saying something as I know you grew up in Gotham and have lived through the summers there.” Jason sounds rather chipper for someone who’s been riding the edge of a panic attack all night. 

“It’s still dark,” Tim mumbles intelligently. 

He hears a small laugh above him. “Try opening your eyes and rolling over. You’re almost kissing that back wall.” 

_Oh._ Tim opens his eyes to see dark and porous stone in front of him. He rolls over and belatedly remembers sitting up is not a good idea as the back of his head comes into contact with the sloped roof. “Ow,” Tim says, rubbing the back of his head and scooting out from his little sleeping nook. The light is dim in the makeshift cave, but Jason’s pinned back the cape, so there’s more than enough to see by. 

“Christ, I still can’t get over just how ridiculous you are without caffeine in the morning.” Jason is already crawling his way out of the cave and into the light. It’s way too low for him to stand upright. “Come on, I got water and a protein bar out here with your name on it.” 

Blinking fuzzily, Tim stumbles into the light. The first thing to hit him is the humidity. The morning air is still cool, though not as cold as Tim expected it to get based on the night before. _The storm must have blown over faster than I thought._

He sits on a damp rock and accepts the food and water Jason hands him. The man is looking much better than he did the night before. Tim spots the bags under his eyes though and wonders if Jason got any sleep at all. 

“I got some,” he says. “The storm ended not long after you passed out, so I opened your cape up a bit and fell asleep.” 

Tim scrunches his nose in confusion but before he can say anything, Jason continues, “Yes, you said that out loud.”

 _Oh. Not a mind-reader then._

“Nope, not a mind-reader. You are so fun to fuck with in the morning, aren’t you?”

“And the afternoon. And evening. Whenever he wakes up, really.” A new voice from above chimes in. 

_What the fuck?!_ Both Jason and Tim move quickly, settling into defensive stances as they look up. 

Floating several feet above them is Kon. He starts laughing. “Yeah, you can totally tell you two were trained by the same person.” 

Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Tim is wide awake now. He relaxes his stance as Jason does the same. “What are you doing here, Kon?” 

“Umm, rescuing you, dude? Couldn’t get to you last night because of the storm, but you two didn’t seem in any danger of killing each other, so I went home, got some sleep, and came back.” Kon settles to the ground in front of them. “We’ve been worried sick. Why didn’t you call?” 

Tim looks over at Jason. The man’s arms are crossed against his broad chest, his face expressionless. But Tim knows better. He’s upset. 

Looking back at Kon, Tim replies blandly, “I needed a vacation.”

*****  

Before Tim would let Kon fly Jason and him home, he wants to see what the storm may have done to the plane, so they head down to the beach. Jason is with them, trailing after while Kon explains how he found them. 

“Yeah, so when you two went completely radio and radar silent, Batman did his usual thing and didn’t call anyone, thinking he could handle the search and rescue himself. After 24 hours, the hell spawn calls Nightwing. Did you know your older brother is crazy scary when two of his brothers are _missing over the South Pacific?_

Tim nods while Jason comments, “It’s a personality flaw.” 

Kon shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “Your family is so messed up. Anyways, once Nightwing knew what was going on and had a general idea of where to look, he calls a bunch of us to Titans Tower to start a better search. Cassie, M’gann, and I have been flying all over. M’gann finally picked up on your mental signature last night, Tim, and called me. With the storm though, we decided to wait until morning to come get you. She said you were fine, but that Hood seemed on edge. Something about the dark.” Kon looks over his shoulder at Jason. “Afraid of the dark, Hood?” 

The look on Jason’s face promises murder and mayhem. “I’ll give you something to be afraid of.” 

Tim knocks Kon on the shoulder. “Knock it off and use your brain for half a second before you spout off,” he chides. 

Kon looks confused for a second before understanding appears on his face. He turns back to Jason. “ _Oh_. Um, sorry, dude. This is why I need Cassie and Tim around. Keep me from saying dumb shit.” 

Jason doesn’t say anything, but he does tone down his glare. 

Taking that as a sign to continue, Kon goes on. “So, yeah. We found you last night and called it in. Went back to the Tower and crashed, then flew back out here to come get you.” 

“Is M’gann or Cassie with you?” 

“They’re on their way and so is Nightwing. I fly faster.” 

Tim looks back at Jason. “So much for a peaceful morning.” 

“No shit.” A thoughtful look appears on Jason’s face. “We should see if Bruce is still hanging around. Perhaps we can convince Dickiebird to take a swim.”

A grin appears on Tim’s face as he laughs and shakes his head. Kon looks confused again. “Bruce?” he asks. 

Tim slaps Kon on the back as the three men walk out onto the beach. “Yes, Bruce. We made a new friend. Want to meet him?” 

“You two are messin’ with me. I know it. You’re Bats, you’ve all got the worst sense of humor in the history of _ever_.” 

Jason steps up on the other side of Kon and slaps him on the back as well. Kon visibly braces as he’s suddenly bracketed by Red Robin and Red Hood. “And yet you call Replacement over there your best friend. So what does that make you?” 

“Someone who often questions his life choices.” 

Tim laughs, loud and bright, Jason’s laugh echoing his. “C’mon clone-boy. You’re going to like this.”

*****  

The beach and the lagoon are not as damaged as Tim expects they would be, though the broad wing of the Batwing is floating in the lagoon. The waves and constant crashing against the rocky reef finally shore off the wing. The SOS signal Tim made the day before is gone. 

Kon’s eyes widened as he saw it floating. “Dude, did you swim here on that?” he asks incredulously. 

“No,” Tim replies dryly. “The rest of the plane is on the other side of the reef there. We crashed, what, three nights ago now?” He looks at Jason for confirmation. 

“Yeah, sounds right. It was night when we crashed and this is the third morning we’ve been here.” Jason looks around and heads down to the edge of the water. 

“So I don’t get it,” Kon says in a quiet tone. “You could have given me a shout three days ago for a lift out of here. And don’t tell me you needed a vacation, dude. You always need a vacation.” 

“I was going to,” Tim replies, just as quietly. “But when we salvaged the plane and Jason saw the duct tape, well…” He trails off. Kon knew of his love of Mythbusters. He’d been rolling when Tim told him about the dishwasher lasagna and their misadventures with fruit and swords. _He’ll get it in a second._

After a moment of thought, the look Kon gives Tim is priceless. _I wish I had my camera._ “Oh my God. You two are such _dorks_. You seriously had your own little duct tape adventure?” 

“Yeah,” Tim replies. “We only had six rolls though, so we couldn’t make a boat.” 

“ _Dorks._ ” 

Jason is halfway to the edge of the reef by now, looking intently into the bright blue water on the outer edge. “What’s he doing?” Kon asks as Tim picks his way out across the rocks. He’s following behind. 

“Looking for Bruce.” 

“Um, dude, Bruce is back in Gotham or the Watchtower or somewhere else that is _not_ here.” 

Tim remains silent, a small grin on his face. 

Jason stops when he’s almost to the remains of the Batwing. He looks up and waves an arm, pointing down with the other one. Tim picks up his pace, almost running across the rocks. Kon trips once and takes to the air instead. 

Landing next to Jason and Tim, he looks down into the water. “So what am I supposed to be…HOLY SHIT!” Kon shouts as he sees the massive great white shark swimming just beneath the surface. “You have a great white as a pet! You named a great white shark BRUCE! That is fucking awesome!” Kon starts laughing so hard he rolls in circles through the air. 

Tim and Jason both chuckle at Kon’s reaction. “So what do you think Dick’s reaction will be?” Tim asks. 

“I hope he jumps in… _OW!_ ” Jason rubs the back of his head from where Tim slapped him. “Fucking Replacement. If the baby bat is with him, we should toss him in and see who emerges victorious.” 

“Hmm…I like it.”

*****  

A couple hours later, Tim and Jason stand on the beach with all their gear, once again wearing their uniforms and masks. Cassie and M’Gann, along with Nightwing, had arrived a while ago. Nightwing could not be physically separated from his little brothers, constantly clinging to one or the other. Or both when given the chance.

“I can’t believe you didn’t give Kon a call, Timmy. You could have at least told him you were okay so we didn’t need to worry,” Dick lectures, using the big brother voice Tim ignores. 

“I had other things on my mind,” he repeats. It’s the same response he’s given the older man since he landed. 

“Yeah, so you’ve said. Seriously though, duct tape? You and Jay wanted to have your own duct tape adventure?” 

Jason stands up, shouldering a new duct tape sack filled with the shells he and Tim had collected. “Why not?” 

“Well,” Dick says with an easy grin. “You didn’t invite me!” 

_It’s not always about you, Dick. I’m glad it was just me and Jason. I’ve learned so much about him these last couple of days. I never would have if you’d been here._

Tim turns to Jason, a sly smirk on his face. “I’ve changed my mind, Jay. We’re tossing him in.” 

“Now you’re talkin’, Replacement.” Jason’s grin is sharp. 

“Um, guys? Little brothers? What are you doing?” Dick asks as his brothers move quickly and with intent. There’s an edge of concern in his voice. 

“There’s someone you need to meet,” Tim replies as he and Jason tackle Dick to the ground.

 


End file.
